Bean growers' hopes shattered

Bean leaves attacked by virus worry thousands of farmers in three upazilas of the district.

Leaves of the winter vegetable on 2,500 hectares of land in Belabo, Shibpur and Raipur upazilas have turned yellowish due to the virus attack, said Md Latif Hossain, deputy director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).

Farmer Abdur Rashid of Khamarer Char village in Belabo upazila said as the virus infected bean is not sold in the market, it is now used as fuel in the kitchen.

They used pesticide to protect the fields from insects but all went in vain, another bean grower Md Jaher Mia of the village said, adding that local agricultural officers are yet to visit the fields after the incident.    

When they went to discuss about virus attack on the bean leaves, the farmers avoided sitting with them, said the agricultural officer.